diff --git a/src/page.c b/src/page.c
index 3bc146bc..ebd88253 100644
--- a/src/page.c
+++ b/src/page.c
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ void _mi_page_free(mi_page_t* page, mi_page_queue_t* pq, bool force) {
 }
 
 #define MI_MAX_RETIRE_SIZE    (MI_MEDIUM_OBJ_SIZE_MAX)
-#define MI_RETIRE_CYCLES      (16)
+#define MI_RETIRE_CYCLES      (8)
 
 // Retire a page with no more used blocks
 // Important to not retire too quickly though as new
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ void _mi_page_retire(mi_page_t* page) {
   if (mi_likely(page->xblock_size <= MI_MAX_RETIRE_SIZE && !mi_page_is_in_full(page))) {
     if (pq->last==page && pq->first==page) { // the only page in the queue?
       mi_stat_counter_increase(_mi_stats_main.page_no_retire,1);
-      page->retire_expire = MI_RETIRE_CYCLES;
+      page->retire_expire = (page->xblock_size <= MI_SMALL_OBJ_SIZE_MAX ? MI_RETIRE_CYCLES : MI_RETIRE_CYCLES/4);
       mi_heap_t* heap = mi_page_heap(page);
       mi_assert_internal(pq >= heap->pages);
       const size_t index = pq - heap->pages;